Diagnostic testing enables our team to pinpoint the underlying cause of your pet’s symptoms, diagnosing their condition(s). We want our pet parents to be involved in the decision-making process, and we thoroughly discuss the diagnostic testing we recommend for your pet and their diagnostic test results. Personalizing your pet’s diagnostic plan ensures we avoid unnecessary tests and procedures while leading us to a more personalized and effective treatment plan.

Diagnostic Overview

Aerobic Bacterial Culture

Aerobic bacterial cultures are an essential tool Pet Health veterinarians use to identify the types of bacteria causing infections in dogs and cats. The process involves collecting a sample of debris or discharge from the affected area, which is then placed on a special substance called a medium and incubated for several days to see if any bacteria grow. Once the bacteria is identified, a second test called antibiotic sensitivity is performed to determine which antibiotics are most effective against them.

There are several situations where a veterinarian may recommend an aerobic culture. For instance, if a pet has a history of recurring skin or ear infections or had antibiotic-resistant infections in the past, an aerobic culture may be recommended. Additionally, an aerobic culture may be necessary if a pet’s clinical signs have not improved despite empirical treatment with antibiotics or if clinical signs of a deep skin infection are present (i.e., swelling or draining tracts).

If a pet has an ear infection with a specific shape of bacteria called rods on the initial cytology, this could indicate a Pseudomonas infection, which is known to have antibiotic resistance and an aerobic culture would be recommended.

An aerobic culture and antibiotic sensitivity profile typically take 4-5 days to obtain results. It is a non-invasive test that provides valuable information about the specific type of bacteria affecting your pet and the most effective antibiotics for treatment. Ideally, the culture should be done when your pet has been off antibiotics for at least 48 hours to obtain the most accurate results.